Asia’s personal care ingredients market is one of the most dynamic in the world, and according to Kline & Company, it is poised to grow at over 7.7% per year in Southeast Asia. Positive economic growth, despite the global recession, higher disposable incomes and a more self-aware consumer mean men and women in the region are experimenting more with their beauty purchases.

in-cosmetics Asia will unite the Asian cosmetics industry again on Oct. 29–31, 2013, at BITEC in Bangkok, Thailand. With more exhibitors expected than ever before, as well as the most in-depth series of educational sessions to-date, in-cosmetics Asia is set to uncover the latest trends driving growth in the region.

Upwards of 5,000 visitors from countries such as South Korea, Malaysia, China and India, Spain, South Korea and the United States will be able to source new ingredients and technologies from more than 300 suppliers, over 60 of which will making their debut at the event. Exhibitors include Clariant, Croda, DSM, Ichimaru Pharcos, Lanxess and many more.

Spotlight on South Korea

As one of Asia’s most sophisticated markets for cosmetics, South Korea sets trends that not only find popularity in Asia Pacific but also across the world. To celebrate this haven for cosmetic innovation, in-cosmetics Asia’s first in-country focus shines a light on South Korea with a dedicated programme of events.

Marketing Trends presentations will probe the current state of the South Korean market and identify what’s on the horizon to help visitors take back tips for creating market-leading products. In addition, a new South Korea Product Trail showcases selected ingredients, while the South Korean Pavilion makes it easy for attendees to target exhibitors from this part of the world.

Trends and Technologies

The cosmetic and personal care industry is fast-paced, with changing consumer preferences meaning manufacturers must work hard to stay ahead of the competition. At in-cosmetics Asia, the Educational Programme is a forum for discussion about the latest trends and technologies to help visitors hone their marketing and product development strategies.

Workshops offer practical advice to formulators, bench chemists and R&D professionals, as well as marketers, distributors and brand owners. The six sessions have been specifically chosen to tackle the biggest factors facing the industry right now.

Barbara Olioso, founder of The Green Chemist Consultancy, is running two hands-on sessions that will help visitors tap into rising demand for natural and organic products: Master Chemist Class For Organic And Natural Emulsions and Master Chemist Class For Natural Rinse-Off Personal Care Products.

Skin blemishes and aging are top concerns for consumers. Karl Lintner, PhD; Alain Deguercy, PhD; and Jean Christopher Pittet, PhD, offer their expertise in two medium-high level workshops for formulators and chemists. The Skin Blemishes (Acne Melasma): Going Beyond BB, CC And DD puts the latest ingredients and mechanisms for skin-whitening and anti-acne treatments in the spotlight, while the Anti-Aging Actives: The AAA Aproach workshop gives attendees a chance to learn about genome expression analysis in relation to cellular aging.

Visitors can also learn about exporting to the U.S. in How to Introduce Your Beauty Brand into the US Market: A Step by Step Plan! and attend a Thai-language session–Practical Testing for Cosmetic and Personal Care Products–that presents solutions including chemical, microbiological and physical testing.

In addition to the workshops, a series of free-to-attend Marketing Trends Presentations and Innovation Seminars take a closer look at emerging trends and new ingredients and technologies.

This year’s Marketing Trends Programme is packed full of sessions designed to help prepare and build effective marketing plans. Alongside the sessions on South Korea, highlights include 2015 Colour Cosmetic Trends by Antoinette van den Berg, Future-Touch; Oils, BB, Scalp Treatments – What’s Hot and What’s Next in Haircare by Vivienne Rudd at Mintel Beauty and Personal Care; The Flourishing Personal Care Market in Asia – What’s the Recipe for Success? by Nikola Matic of Kline; and a session by Rachit Daval at Happy Marketer on Digital Marketing Strategies For Global Cosmetic Brands in 2014.

Designed to offer more in-depth insights into the latest ingredients and technologies available to manufacturers, the exhibitor-led Innovation Seminars put innovation at the top of the agenda. The sessions cover a range of hot industry topics including: Hair Split-End Mending With Polyelectrolyte Microgel Technology by Ashland; Anti-Oxid’aging: A New Route To Fight Against Skin Burnout by Solabia Group; and Not Only Whitening But Also Transparent Brightening by Ichimaru Pharcos.

Gain Inspiration

The show floor is also a hive of activity with plenty of opportunities for visitors to gain the most of their visit to this year’s in-cosmetics Asia.

New Product Trails have been introduced to help visitors pinpoint exhibitors across key product categories including anti-acne, anti-ageing and skin whitening. The Packaging Zone also makes its first appearance at the show to provide those involved in purchasing packaging materials with a dedicated area to meet suppliers from across Asia and beyond.

Visitors can also attend the ever-popular Innovation Zone where they can see some of the latest products from exhibitors displayed and sample the most creative products coming out of Asia during daily demonstrations run by Mintel Beauty and Personal Care.